Huntley Dist. 158 goes from surplus to deficit

In an indication of the worsening prognosis for Illinois education funding, Huntley Unit District 158's draft budget for the 2010-11 school year has gone from having a $707,000 surplus to projecting a $627,000 deficit.

The change is a reflection of signals District 158 officials are receiving from Springfield, where decision-makers are contemplating slashing education funding by $922 million, or 15 percent.

Incorporating the state's latest estimates into the draft budget led Chief Financial Officer Mark Altmayer to reduce next year's projected revenue by $1.33 million.

For District 158 school board members, that wasn't quite enough.

At the urging of board member Mike Skala, the board directed the administration to prepare a budget draft that cuts another $2 million in expenditures.

"My concern is that we are not prepared for what I think will be reality," Skala said. "I don't want to be cut short - and then not be able to take any action."

The administration has already folded $6.6 million in reductions - mostly deferrals - into the draft budget. Under that plan, the district would hold costs constant for technology, buses, building maintenance, textbooks and energy.

Superintendent John Burkey has also recommended freezing new hires and salaries for support staff and nonunion employees, including administrators.

Burkey and Altmayer said they will have to contemplate staff reductions to realize additional savings. That could include not filling vacant positions and actual layoffs - a move Burkey has been reluctant to recommend.

"You lose very good people that you may never get back," Burkey said, explaining his reluctance. "I want to be cautious about decimating all we've done here."